WILDLIFE

Jaguars

PLANETA FORUM

Unusual travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God.
- Travel Notebook

PHOTO GALLERY: Cats

FEATURES

Tourism and Biodiversity
Tourism and Wildlife
Animal Links

JAGUARS

Jaguar: The Western Hemisphere's Top Cat - Richard Mahler
Jaguar: Spiritual Connections - Richard Mahler
Jaguars: Current Status - Richard Mahler
Jaguars: Unanswered Questions - Richard Mahler
Jaguar: Spiritual Connections - Richard Mahler
Defending the Land of the Jaguar: Natural History of Mexico (book review)

BACKGROUND

The jaguar (Panthera onca) is a mammal of the Felidae family and is the most powerful feline in the Americas. It is one of four 'big cats' in the Panthera genus, along with the tiger, the lion and the leopard of the Old World.

The jaguar's present range extends from Mexico (with occasional sightings in the southwestern United States) across much of Central America and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina. (Wikipedia)

2008 CENSUS

Habitat destruction is probably the greatest threat for the conservation of the jaguar. Conservations propose that this species can be the cornerstone for conservation plans on a region or national scale, because they are already widely distributed and require large areas to survive and inhabit a great variety of ecosystems.

Few studies have looked at populations throughout the entire range. In 2008 Mexico is conducting a census to identify the current distribution and priority areas for jaguar conservation. Oaxaca's Chinantla region has been identified as a priority site for jaguar research and conservation.